DigiTimes: New AirPods Pro Likely Deferred Until Second Half of 2020 or Later

AirPods PRo isolatedApple is likely to defer the launch of new AirPods Pro to the second half of 2020 or some point in 2021, according to supply chain sources cited by Taiwanese publication DigiTimes.

A paywalled preview of the report:

Apple likely to defer new AirPods Pro launch
Apple is likely to defer the launch of its new AirPods Pro to the second half of 2020 or even 2021, according to sources at related suppliers.

Last month, DigiTimes had reported that Apple's suppliers would kick off production of a new entry-level version of AirPods Pro between the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second quarter, but it would not be surprising if that timeframe has changed due to the impact of the global health crisis.

Earlier this month, leaker Jon Prosser claimed that Apple was planning to release so-called "AirPods X" around September or October with a BeatsX-like design for sports and running. Prosser said those "AirPods X" are likely the same product as the entry-level AirPods Pro that DigiTimes has been referring to.

"AirPods X" were first rumored by the seemingly prescient Twitter user "l0vetodream" in early March, but details remain slim.

Prosser more recently said that Apple has new AirPods ready to launch, possibly alongside a 13-inch MacBook Pro refresh next month, suggesting that a third generation of the standard AirPods could also be on the horizon.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Caution)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
macbook pro blue green

When Will Apple Release the M5 MacBook Pro?

Wednesday March 26, 2025 4:53 pm PDT by
Apple regularly refreshes the MacBook Pro models, and a new version that uses M5 series chips is in the works. Apple just finished refreshing most of the Mac lineup with M4 chips, and now it's time for the M5. Rumors suggest that we could see the first M5 MacBook Pro models this fall. Design There have been no rumors of a design update for the M5 MacBook Pro models that are coming this...
Apple Lumon Terminal Pro

Apple's Mac Site Features Fictional 'Lumon Terminal Pro'

Wednesday March 26, 2025 12:19 pm PDT by
Apple is going all out with promotions for the popular Severance Apple TV+ show today, and as of right now, you'll find a new "Lumon Terminal Pro" listed on Apple's Mac site. The Lumon Terminal Pro is designed to look similar to the machines that Severance employees like Mark S. and Helly R. use for macrodata refinement. The Terminal features a blue keyboard, a small display with wide...
Facebook Feature

Facebook's New iPhone App Feature Turns the Clock Back to 2007

Thursday March 27, 2025 1:59 pm PDT by
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Facebook was all about staying connected with friends and family. However, as the social media platform added new features and grew over time, that core experience began to get drowned out. That changes starting now, according to Meta, which today introduced a new feature that will "bring back the joy" of classic Facebook. Specifically, Meta has redesigned the...
Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Soon With These New Features for Your iPhone

Tuesday March 25, 2025 6:45 am PDT by
Apple is expected to release iOS 18.4 to the general public as soon as next week, following more than a month of beta testing. Apple's website says some iOS 18.4 features will be released in "early April," so the update should be out as early as Tuesday, April 1. Apple this week seeded the iOS 18.4 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, barring the discovery of any...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Supports 8K Video Recording, Suggests Leaker [Updated]

Wednesday March 26, 2025 4:06 am PDT by
Update 7:25 pm: Based on comments from our forums, it appears the original Weibo post may have been mistranslated and "8K" actually refers to the high price of the device rather than 8K video recording capabilities. The iPhone 16 Pro currently starts at 7,999 yuan in China. Our original article follows below. Apple's forthcoming iPhone 17 Pro models are capable of shooting 8K video, up...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

'iPhone Fold' to Feature Metallic Glass Hinge That Resists Deformation

Thursday March 27, 2025 4:21 am PDT by
Last week, we covered a report claiming that Apple's book-style foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold," as we are provisionally calling it here) will use liquid metal hinges to improve durability and help minimize screen creasing. Today, a Chinese leaker provided more details on the properties of this hinge material that help to clarify why Apple chose it for its first foldable device. According...
iOS 18 4 Ambient Music Control Center

How to Use iOS 18.4's New Ambient Music Feature in Control Center

Thursday March 27, 2025 7:45 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone adds an Ambient Music feature to Control Center. Below, we take a closer look at how it works. iOS 18.4 is currently in beta, so the Ambient Music feature is not widely available yet. The update will likely be released to the general public next week. To use the feature on iOS 18.4, open Control Center and tap on the plus sign in the top-left...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

Gurman: Jon Prosser's iOS 19 Mockups 'Aren't Representative' of Redesign

Tuesday March 25, 2025 4:47 pm PDT by
The iOS 19 mockup images that leaker Jon Prosser shared today are not representative of the actual iOS 19 design, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on social media. According to Gurman, the images that are "floating around" are based on "very old builds" or "vague descriptions," and are lacking key features. Gurman says that we can "expect more from Apple in June." Gurman made the same comment ...

Top Rated Comments

480951 Avatar
65 months ago
They should probably fix the noise cancelling they broke in a software update before releasing a new version. Jeez.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jetjaguar Avatar
65 months ago
New airpods pro already?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
incoherent_1 Avatar
65 months ago

They should probably fix the noise cancelling they broke in a software update before releasing a new version. Jeez.
Came here to say this. The poor handling of these issues since launch rivals the keyboard issues of the MBP (which I have also personally experienced).
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheIguana Avatar
65 months ago
I'm sorry at the current price level and offering, the statement "entry-level AirPods Pro," is unfathomably moronic. They are in no way an "entry-level" product.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tommy Hewitt Avatar
65 months ago

I’d like to see ANC added to the current AirPods design (no rubber tips). If that’s what they mean by “Pro Lite” then I’m in!
ANC does not work very well without a tight seal.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tkukoc Avatar
65 months ago

These won’t be the pros.
True (probably a cheaper design, removed a feature or something) but it still doesn't matter. It is inexcusable for Apple to be releasing any sort of airpods without fixing the MAJOR issues of the current ones. Firmware ruined the Pros with no way to downgrade and no update for months. I went back to Gen 2's because the Pros have so many issues. Will not buy another pair until they fix the Pros.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)